Southwest Allegheny News

Pennsylvania has seen a significant increase in education spending over the past decade, with expenditures rising by 51% to approximately $20,900 per student. Despite this financial commitment, fourth-grade reading scores have consistently declined, raising concerns about the effectiveness of current educational strategies.

Representative Jason Ortitay from Pennsylvania's 46th Legislative District emphasizes the need for a new approach to teaching reading. "I believe we need to rethink how we teach reading and focus on what actually works," he states. Research supports structured literacy—an approach that systematically teaches phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension—as effective in developing strong readers. However, many schools have yet to adopt these methods.

Since 2013, Pennsylvania’s reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) have dropped by nearly 15 points despite increased spending that has outpaced inflation. Representative Ortitay highlights that "reading is the foundation for all learning," and when students struggle with reading, their performance in other subjects like math and science is also affected.

To address these issues, several measures are proposed:

- Training teachers in the science of reading and structured literacy practices.

- Providing literacy coaches or trainers to every school statewide.

- Implementing early screening from kindergarten through second grade to identify and support struggling readers.

- Ensuring transparency by requiring schools to report reading proficiency by grade level.

- Allocating education funds towards programs proven to enhance reading skills.

Critics may argue that this approach is too rigid; however, declining scores indicate a need for a consistent evidence-based strategy. Ortitay asserts that "this isn’t about politics — it’s about giving every child the tools to succeed."

The focus should shift from spending levels to achieving tangible results in early literacy. By doing so, Pennsylvania aims to equip its children for future success.

Representative Jason Ortitay

46th Legislative District

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Media Contact: Tracy Polovick

717.260.6358

tpolovick@pahousegop.com

RepOrtitay.com / Facebook.com/RepOrtitay